If your home is located in an older part of town you may still have galvanized steel pipes. These were used for water supply pipes back in the 1920's through until plumbers switched to copper pipes around 1960.
The inside of the pipes can corrode and become plugged with lime, calcium, rust and other debris.
Worse, they can start to leak at any time undetected inside a  wall or cabinet leading to costly damage and the spread of mold.
Many insurance companies will not give coverage to houses with these pipes and fittings or may charge you with a premium. Sooner or later a leak will develop so the best thing to do is replacement with copper or PEX plastic pipe.
It's easier than you think. Exposed pipes in the basement are of course no problem at all. But even riser pipes inside walls and under floors can often be easily replaced with minimal disruption. We have experienced plumbers that have completely re-piped many older homes in the downtown areas of Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and New Hamburg.

Another potential problem that occurs with older homes is with cast iron drain pipes and stacks. Before copper and ABS plastic piping came into use, this heavy, black but solid material was installed. Normally it lasts a very long time and unless cracked, poses no issues. However as it is a very heavy pipe we do see failures on horizontal sections especially when not well supported. When underground, this type of pipe is also prone to completely disintegrating and collapsing.
Replacement of damaged or broken sections of pipe is possible, and complete vertical stack replacement is only done when renovating allowing full access to the pipe.
Typically soft lead drain pipes under floors should be replaced with ABS plastic as they often leak, drain slowly, or plug up often.
For a free no cost estimate in your home, contact us and we will send out a qualified professional to assess the condition of your old pipes and drains. We will provide you with a written proposal detailing the work that needs to be done and how much it will cost.
We can also provide your insurance company with a certified letter outlining the completed job on your behalf.